It’s a statement of the obvious to say Wales missed Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey in Amsterdam. Any team in the world would be weaker devoid of those two talents.

But what their absence did underline was just how much Wales rely upon their superstars for goals. Without Bale and Ramsey on Wednesday, the goal threat was for large parts negligible. The team’s failure to score was the most predictable blank of the 2013-14 campaign.

Plenty has been said about Wales’ gallant performance. There is certainly no disgrace in a 2-0 loss to the Dutch.

But to keep this in context, it was a Holland side who barely got out of second gear, players fearful of injuries ahead of the World Cup.

Wales need goals in the Euros. That means Bale and Ramsey being fit and present. Fingers crossed.

Gareth Bale

2: WE MAY AS WELL SCRAP SUMMER FRIENDLIES

Chris Coleman had to pick a side shorn of EIGHT of his likely first choice Euro starting XI. As well as Bale and Ramsey, his entire back four of Adam Matthews, James Collins, Ashley WIlliams and Ben Davies were missing. So, too, striker Sam Vokes and midfielder Jack Collison, who Coleman rightly or wrongly seems to want to pick in his midfield.

This was the last opportunity to bed down planning, preparation and tactics for the start of the Euro qualifiers, but that was rendered impossible given the injuries.

John Toshack once lost a dozen players for a summer match in Croatia. Mark Hughes had to deal with 17 absentees for a friendly in the United States. It doesn’t matter who the manager is, a Wales team for a summer friendly is destined to be hit hard by absentees. Given the evidence, are they worth it any more?

3: CHESTER OR COLLINS?

Coleman would argue summer friendlies are indeed worth the hassle and will point to the Wales debut of James Chester as evidence. Up against Robin Van Persie, the Hull man did okay on his international bow and offers a genuine alternative option for Coleman.

Ashley Williams will be his first choice centre-back for the Euros. James Collins is presumably next in line, but Chester and the returning Danny Gabbidon certainly didn’t disgrace themselves up against Van Persie, Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder.

Collins has made errors before for Wales at the beginning of qualifying campaigns. Is Chester, or Gabbidon, a more viable alternative?

Many people are dismissive of Chris Gunter’s qualities as a Wales right-back, but you certainly can’t deny the bloke’s commitment to the cause.

Left out of the original squad because Coleman thought he was injured, Gunter immediately got in touch and insisted he wanted to play.

“I was carrying a bit of a problem for the last few weeks of the season with Reading and was just trying to manage it,” said Gunter. “But there’s no way I was missing that Wales game.”

Gunter is only 24, yet he already has 53 caps to his name. If he can hold off the challenge from Adam Matthews, he could one day smash Neville Southall’s 92-game record.

Wales defenders Chris Gunter

5: WILL THE DUTCH BOMB IN BRAZIL?

Louis van Gaal’s side didn’t look overly impressive against Wales, although the fact they were playing well within themselves does need to be taken into account.

So how will they go in the World Cup?

Drawn with holders Spain and Chile, most anticipate the Dutch finishing second with the reigning champions first. I believe Gary Medel and his Chile team, 2-0 conquerors over England at Wembley this season, will have something to say about that. They may upset the Group B applecart.

But whoever emerges as runners-up would almost certainly meet Brazil in the last 16 in Belo Horizonte.